Green Hotel Eco News

Although nearly three-fourths of hotel guests in North America willingly participate in environmentally friendly programs offered during their hotel stays, many guests remain unaware of whether these programs are offered at the hotel property, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study.

When guests were asked if their hotel had conservation programs in place, 63 percent of guests answered yes, while 8 percent said no, and 29 percent indicated that they didn't know. When they are aware of a hotel's environmentally friendly programs, 73 percent of hotel guests indicate they participate.

Of the 27 percent of hotel guests who are aware of hotel environmentally friendly programs and choose not to participate, 86 percent indicate that they would take part if offered a reward for doing so. However, this number declines to 83 percent among guests in the Pre-Boomer generation and drops to 33 percent among Pre-Boomers staying in luxury hotels. Willingness to participate is much higher among luxury hotel guests in other generational groups - 87 percent of Baby Boomers, 95 percent of Generation X, and 79 percent of Generation Y.

The study also finds that providing a non-smoking environment continues to be important to hotel guests. Overall, 82 percent of guests say they prefer a smoke-free hotel environment, including public areas and guestrooms. This number is up from 79 percent in 2006.

Now in its 11th year, the study measures overall hotel guest satisfaction across six hotel segments: luxury, upscale, mid-scale full service, mid-scale limited service, economy/budget, and extended stay. Seven key measures are examined within each segment to determine overall satisfaction: reservations, check-in/check-out, guest room, food and beverage, hotel services, hotel facilities, and costs and fees.

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Although nearly three-fourths of hotel guests in North America willingly participate in environmentally friendly programs offered during their hotel stays, many guests remain unaware of whether these programs are offered at the hotel property, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study(SM) released today.

In response to growing concern about global warming and conservation issues, being environmentally responsible has become a top trend in the hotel industry, with properties initiating various "green" programs, such as changing linens and towels only on request and using water-saving bathroom faucets and toilets.

When guests were asked if the hotel had conservation programs in place, 63 percent of guests answered yes, while 8 percent said no, and 29 percent indicated that they didn't know. When they are aware of a hotel's environmentally friendly programs, 73 percent of hotel guests indicate they participate. In turn, raising awareness of environmentally friendly programs among customers may help properties further increase participation.

"Since conservation is such an important issue globally, it is vitally important that hotel properties actively market their eco-friendly offerings and make them easy to recognize and participate in," said Linda Hirneise, executive director of the travel practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "Offering green programs is a win-win situation for both hotel guests and hotel operators. Guests are increasingly looking for these types of offerings, and hotels are finding that going green actually saves money."

Of the 27 percent of hotel guests who are aware of hotel environmentally friendly programs and choose not to participate, a large number (86%) indicate that they would take part if offered a reward for doing so. However, this number declines to 83 percent among guests in the Pre-Boomer generation (those born prior to 1946), and drops even further -- to 33 percent -- among Pre-Boomers staying in luxury hotels. Willingness to participate is much higher among luxury hotel guests in other generational groups -- 87 percent of Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964), 95 percent of Generation X (those born between 1965 and 1976) and 79 percent of Generation Y (those born between 1977 and 1989).

Now in its 11th year, the study measures overall hotel guest satisfaction across six hotel segments: luxury, upscale, mid-scale full service, mid-scale limited service, economy/budget and extended stay. Seven key measures are examined within each segment to determine overall satisfaction: reservations, check-in/check-out, guest room, food and beverage, hotel services, hotel facilities, and costs and fees.

The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction within their respective segments:

-- Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton
-- Upscale: Embassy Suites Hotels
-- Mid-Scale Full Service: Hilton Garden Inn
-- Mid-Scale Limited Service: Drury Inn & Suites
-- Economy/Budget: Microtel Inns & Suites
-- Extended Stay: Homewood Suites

Both Hilton Garden Inn and Microtel Inns & Suites rank highest in overall satisfaction in their respective segments for a sixth consecutive year. In addition, three of the six highest-ranked brands -- Hilton Garden Inn, Embassy Suites Hotels and Homewood Suites -- are part of the Hilton Hotels Corporation.

In this year's study, issues with staff attitude and staff service are among the most frequently reported problems by hotel guests, particularly by luxury hotel guests. With more than one in five guests reporting a problem with staff service, this issue is the most frequently mentioned problem among luxury hotel guests who say they experienced a significant problem during their stay.

"With the hotel industry rapidly approaching product and price parity, the key differentiator between a good hotel experience and a truly outstanding experience is the quality of service delivered by the hotel staff," said Hirneise. "Staff-related problems are controllable, and significant problems with staff make it difficult, if not impossible, to deliver great service and high levels of satisfaction. Hotels have dedicated tremendous resources for renovations and improvements of their properties in efforts to improve satisfaction, but all of this may be for naught if service excellence is remiss."

The study finds that 97 percent of hotel guests say they feel either safe or very safe traveling within North America. However, among hotel guests traveling outside of North America, 34 percent report feeling "unsafe" or "very unsafe." Of those traveling abroad, 40 percent of those staying in economy/budget hotels and 38 percent of guests staying in mid-scale limited service hotels say they felt "unsafe" or "very unsafe", compared with only 21 percent of guests who reported feeling "unsafe" or "very unsafe" while staying in luxury hotels.

The study also finds that providing a non-smoking environment continues to be important to hotel guests. Overall, 82 percent of guests say they prefer a smoke-free hotel environment-including public areas and guest rooms-up from 79 percent in 2006. In response to this preference among guests, some hotel brands now offer completely smoke-free environments, including Marriott properties in North America and Westin Hotels & Resorts properties in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

The 2007 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study is based on responses gathered between June 2006 and June 2007 from 47,634 guests who stayed in a hotel between May 2006 to June 2007.

Find more detailed findings on customer satisfaction with hotels by watching a video, reading an article and reviewing hotel ratings at http://www.jdpower.com/ .

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on hotel ratings, car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies(NYSE:MHP)is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek, and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2006 were $6.3 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/ .

Luxury Segment Overall Satisfaction Index
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
The Ritz-Carlton 854
JW Marriott 831
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts 821
Loews Hotels 818
Luxury Segment Average 815
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts 808
W Hotels 798
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts 777
Included in the study, but not ranked due to small sample size are: Le
Meridien Hotels and Resorts, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Park Hyatt
Hotels, Sofitel and St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
Upscale Segment Overall Satisfaction Index
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Embassy Suites Hotels 805
Renaissance Hotels & Resorts 801
Marriott Hotels & Resorts 795
Omni Hotels 794
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts 789
Westin Hotels & Resorts 789
Hilton Hotels 787
Upscale Segment Average 784
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts 770
Doubletree 769
Delta Hotels 765
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts 763
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts 759
Radisson Hotels & Resorts 753
Mid-Scale Full Service Segment Overall Satisfaction Index
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Hilton Garden Inn 806
Courtyard 789
Four Points by Sheraton 755
Wyndham Garden Hotels 752
Mid-Scale Full Service Segment Average 745
Best Western 738
Holiday Inn 737
Clarion 733
Quality 724
Ramada Inn/Plaza 723
Howard Johnson Hotels/Plaza 672
NOTE: Novotel is included in the study, but not ranked due to small sample
size.
Mid-Scale Limited Service Segment Overall Satisfaction Index
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Drury Inn & Suites 824
Hampton Inn/Suites 814
SpringHill Suites 800
Wingate Inn 789
Country Inns & Suites 785
Fairfield Inn 776
Mid-Scale Limited Service Segment Average 770
Holiday Inn Express 766
Comfort Suites 760
Sleep Inn 759
La Quinta 756
AmeriSuites 749
AmericInn 747
Baymont Inn & Suites 746
AmeriHost Inn & Suites 742
Comfort Inn 741
Ramada Limited 695
Economy/Budget Segment Overall Satisfaction Index
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Microtel Inns & Suites 743
Red Roof Inn 704
Super 8 Motel 697
Days Inn 688
Howard Johnson Express/Inns 685
Economy/Budget Segment Average 684
Travelodge 676
Motel 6 671
Econo Lodge 655
Rodeway Inn 633
Americas Best Value Inn 628
Knights Inn 621
Included in the study, but not ranked due to small sample size are:
America's Best Inns & Suites, Budget Host Inn and Country Hearth Inn
Extended Stay Segment Overall Satisfaction Index
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Homewood Suites 815
Residence Inn 809
Staybridge Suites 800
TownePlace Suites 780
Extended Stay Segment Average 778
Candlewood Suites 766
Hawthorn Suites 753
Extended StayAmerica 703
Homestead Studio Suites Hotels 702
Included in the study, but not ranked due to small sample size are: Hyatt
Summerfield Suites, MainStay Suites and Studio 6

The hospitality industry is a big contributor of green house emissions. Now, a few hotels are going green

It’s boom-time for the hospitality industry. But with their massive resource consumption and waste generation, big hotels quite literally function and pollute like a mini city. But how many travelers really think about the planet and not just their purse strings when they check in?

Guests don't seem to care, so is environment consciousness really important for the hospitality industry? For most big hotels today, it’s more a matter of policy compliance. But amid all this, a small handful are actually working to help the planet breathe easy.

Dipak Haksar, VP, ITC Hotels said, “For sustainable development, you need to really look beyond the market.”

The lobby at Uppal's Orchid Hotel in Delhi is fiitted large triple glazed windows to cut the need of lighting during the day, while still keeping the area cool. All organic matter here is dumped into vermin-composting pits to be re-used as soil manure.

But at the ITC Maurya, people have found another way to save of AC and steam consumption.

Read more...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as we noted in a recent daily e-mail to our subscribers, has announced that it has adopted a new set of criteria when selecting hotels and conference centers.

The agency plans to "give preference to facilities which consume less and manage their resources in environmentally positive ways." Moreover, the agency hopes its new policies will serve as a template for other agencies "in the march toward a greener government."

To determine the environmental sensitivity of a particular facility, the EPA will evaluate the responses to a 14-point checklist, to wit:

*A recycling program

*A linen/towel reuse option that is communicated to guests

*Easy access to public transportation or shuttle services

*A policy to turn off lighting and air conditioning when rooms are not in use

*Bulk dispensers or reusable containers for beverages, food, and condiments

*Reusable serving utensils, napkins and tablecloths when food and beverages are served

*An energy efficiency program

*A water-conservation program

*Paperless check-in and check-out for guests

*Use of recycled or recyclable products

*Employee training on these green activities

*Other "green" environmental initiatives such as receiving environment-related certifications, participating in EPA voluntary partnerships, supporting a green suppliers network, etc.

*Food sources from local growers or a policy to consider the growing practices of farmers who provide the food

*A policy to use bio-based or biodegradable products, including bio-based cafeteria ware

Such policies might be both laudable and economically worthwhile for hoteliers. But we question, however, whether it is appropriate for a government agency to employ such criteria.

The EPA spends more than $50 million annually for travel, and much of that figure pays for hotels and meeting spaces. Large as that figure might seem, it's only a tiny fraction of the federal government's $14 billion annual travel/meetings budget.

Just as the suddenly fashionable use of ethanol as automobile fuel might have the unanticipated effect of raising food prices, while doing nothing to reduce our dependency upon foreign oil, imposing "green" criteria upon federal meeting planners might have a negligible positive effect upon the environment.

But we can be sure of one thing. It will increase the EPA's travel/meetings budget.

Read more...

Although nearly three-fourths of hotel guests in North America willingly participate in environmentally friendly programs offered during their hotel stays, many guests remain unaware of whether these programs are offered at the hotel property, according to J.D. Power and Associates 2007 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study.

When guests were asked if the hotel had conservation programs in place, 63 percent of guests answered yes, while eight percent said no, and 29 percent indicated that they didn’t know. When they are aware of a hotel’s environmentally friendly programs, 73 percent of hotel guests indicate they participate. In turn, raising awareness of environmentally friendly programs among customers may help properties further increase participation.

Of the 27 percent of hotel guests who are aware of hotel environmentally friendly programs and choose not to participate, a large number (86 percent) indicate that they would take part if offered a reward for doing so. However, this number declines to 83 percent among guests in the Pre-Boomer generation (those born prior to 1946), and drops even further - to 33 percent - among Pre-Boomers staying in luxury hotels.

Read the entire article...

The Green Leaf Program - a rating system for eco-friendly hotels - is a tool for eco-friendly travellers

The five-star system used to rate a hotel's overall quality and amenities is all too familiar with travelers; examples include ratings of excellence, such as AAA's Diamonds. Today many guests (including government employees), in addition to choosing excellence based on those ratings, are keen to practice environmental responsibility by staying in 'green' accommodations.

THE GREEN LEAF eco-rating program was established in 1998, which works along similar lines to the globally-recognized five-star system, yet it rates a hotel's environmental efficiency and commitment to conserving energy and natural resources.

Audubon Green Leaf Program

TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, an Ottawa-based firm, originally started the Green Leaf program. "We developed it for the hotel Association of Canada, under the auspices of four federal government departments - Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Heritage, and Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC),"says Kevin Gallagher, vice-president of TerraChoice. Then, in 2004, Audubon International, a nonprofit environmental education organization, partnered with TerraChoice to present the Audubon Green Leaf program that exists today.

Intended as a resource for the hospitality industry, Green Leaf's graduated rating system aims to provide travelers throughout Canada, the US, and Europe with verified environmentally friendly options, whilst enabling the hotels to concurrently save the planet and reduce costs via ecoefficiency.
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"It's voluntary, so hotels can get involved with the program and go as far as they want," says Ron Dodson, CEO and president of Audubon International. "If they have an older hotel, and it's going to take a while to change this and change that, they can go at their own pace... We want forward progress. We don't want people to be afraid and say, 'oh my gosh, I've got to go through all this to get in this program.'"

What makes a hotel 'green'?

With ratings from one leaf right up to five leaves, the scale is based on fulfilling certain criteria in order to gain points that amount to the lodging's current level of environmental performance. One leaf indicates that the hotel has identified and initiated some measures to improve energy use, water conservation and waste reduction. Two leaves means that they have moved beyond an awareness of sound environmental practice. Three relates to excellent progress in achieving improved performance in all areas of facility operations and management. While four leaves indicates that the hotel has demonstrated national industry leadership, and five is reserved for facilities that are world leaders in eco-efficiency.

"Typically we're looking at issues like energy efficiency, water conservation, hazardous waste and toxins, solid waste issues and environmental policy," says TerraChoice's Gallagher. "The simple one that everybody does is the towel program. And that's a 'no-brainer' - you save on water, you save on chemicals, and you save on labour."

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In the past few years, most hotels have adopted some kind of “green” policy, asking guests to conserve energy, water and re-use bed linens and towels. For both the environment and the hotel’s bottom line, it’s a positive step. However, the greening of the hospitality industry shouldn’t stop there.

In an effort to promote real environmental and hospitality policy change, EcoRooms & EcoSuites (www.EcoRooms.com) — an online directory of environmentally oriented hotels, resorts, inns, motels and B&Bs — has brought together a group of the industry’s leading environmental advocates to serve on its Board of Advisors. Together, these eco-visionaries are helping define what it means to be truly green, by following — and when need be updating — the directory’s rigorous “Significant 7” Criteria.

“We do not believe a large number of properties will currently qualify for a listing on our directory. What we are attempting to do is “Raise the Bar” and establish some consistency of what is ‘Green’ in the hospitality industry,” says Ray Burger, President of Pineapple Hospitality, which operates the EcoRooms & EcoSuites website.

“The members of our Board of Advisors manage some of the greenest hotels on the planet. We are proud and excited that they have committed to serve on the Board, and together we will become the leading resource others in the hospitality industry turn to when developing or expanding their
greener hotel programs,” Burger adds.

Who’s Who in Green Hospitality
The new members of EcoRooms & EcoSuites Board of Advisors includes Dierdre Wallace, Natalie Marquis, Wen-I Chang, Rauni Kew and Stefan Muhle.

 As Director of New Development for MOA Hospitality, Wallace spearheaded the development and construction of The Ambrose Hotel to its opening in 2003. Wallace formed The Ambrose Group LLC in 2003 to continue the development of boutique hotels. The Ambrose Group is currently developing the “greenest urban hotel” in the US, Ray, located in Venice Beach, Ca. and is expanding the eco-boutique brand The Ambrose.

 As General Manager of Habitat Suites Hotel for the past 10 years, Marquis has hands-on experience implementing sustainable business practices and measuring the business, economic, and social successes that follow the decision to do business with a responsibility for stewarding the land and its occupants for future generations. Natalie has marketed the hotel with “ecological consciousness in action” as its motto and its call to action.

 Chang is the President of Atman Hospitality Group and the owner/developer of California’s premier green hotel brand: GAIA Hotels. His passion for preservation, entrepreneurial spirit, and deeply philosophical perspective on the relationship between business, society, and the environment have brought inspiration and innovation to the green hospitality movement. The GAIA Napa Valley, Chang’s LEED Gold certified hotel, is a monument to the principles of green design.

 Stefan Muhle’s marketing savvy, business sense, and green prowess were on display last year when he opened the stunning Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco’s first LEED certified property. Muhle puts his sixteen years of hospitality experience to use as the GM of both the Orchard Garden and Orchard Hotel, properties that balance boutique aesthetics with environmentally sound ethics.

 Rauni Kew's background is in marketing and PR. Currently working in the hospitality industry, she heads up PR & Green Programs for the Inn By The Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, a certified Maine DEP Green Lodging. Previously she was Marketing Director for a manufacturing company in the Chemical Process Industry for 16 years. She marketed the company’s sludge reduction equipment for activated waste water treatment plants.

“Serving on this board of advisors gives voice to the urgency of igniting in others the passion we have for conservation and change,” says Marquis, whose 96-room Habitat Suites is the host of the largest onsite solar PV system on a hotel in the U.S. The hotel also recently installed a solar hot water system that will decrease dependence on natural gas by 60 percent.

“Education is the key, and outreach is the messenger,” she continues. “If we can get in front of the people in charge of making the decisions, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we can turn things around dramatically and make a significant improvement in air quality, water quality, reducing emissions, and reducing factors which contribute to global warming.”

“If our board of advisors can educate the hospitality industry that 'green' means more green in their bank accounts, we have a triple win. We can leverage further greening, like not using pesticides and toxic cleaners, on the savings from these initial programs being implemented,” Marquis adds.

Green Hotel Trends
The recently released J.D. Power and Associates 2007 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study demonstrates just how important it is for hotels to improve green practices. According to the study:
When guests were asked if the hotel had conservation programs in place, 63 percent of guests answered yes, while 8 percent said no, and 29 percent indicated that they didn't know. When they are aware of a hotel's environmentally friendly programs, 73 percent of hotel guests indicate they participate. In turn, raising awareness of environmentally friendly programs among customers may help properties further increase participation.

"Since conservation is such an important issue globally, it is vitally important that hotel properties actively market their eco-friendly offerings and make them easy to recognize and participate in," said Linda Hirneise, executive director of the travel practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "Offering green programs is a win-win situation for both hotel guests and hotel operators. Guests are increasingly looking for these types of offerings, and hotels are finding that going green actually saves money."

The success that the members of the EcoRooms & EcoSuites Board of Advisors is proof that going green is rife with opportunity.

“The response for our green program is just amazing,” says Muhle, describing the 86-room Orchard Garden Hotel, which opened in the heart of San Francisco in late winter 2006. “We don’t have to push our beliefs in our guests’ faces. Rather, we invite them to participate. We have beautiful trash cans that look like a piece of furniture, which tells the guests to take part in our recycling program. The maple furniture we use is sustainably grown and harvested; plus it will last us a very long time. The amenities and cleaning products we use are all natural products, so guests don’t have to worry about inhaling a lot of chemicals.”

“You can’t just take things away from guests to go green. You’d just look cheap. We’ve shown that you can have it both ways: good for the environment and still maintain that luxury our guests expect,” Muhle adds.

Chang talks about how the GAIA Napa Valley was designed using a holistic approach, balancing the environment, the cost and the function. For instance, Chang says the hotel spent an additional $800,000 on an earth-friendly ventilation system. However, this has paid itself back in both guest satisfaction from quieter operation, and in energy savings, as the energy used has been cut by 26 percent.

“Our guests take pride in staying at our hotel, knowing our commitment to the environment,” Chang says. “They want to participate. We have a kiosk touch screen system near the front desks that shows all the things we’re doing for the Earth, and they’re always using it and asking our staff questions about it.”

“I’m not satisfied to stop at being LEED Gold. I believe it is time to transform people’s consciousness into a union with nature. Being a part of the Board of Advisors gives us all a foundation to begin that transformation,” he says.

Greenwashing

Wallace says that at the 77-room, sustainable Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica, Calif., guests want to know what the hotel is doing for the environment.

“There’s not a lot of green hotels out there, but that will significantly change in the next 3 to 5 years,” Wallace says. “Even hotels that are being marketing as green will develop even more green practices.”

“The problem is that we’re also seeing a lot of ‘greenwashing’ — some hotels who just don’t wash the sheets everyday calling themselves green. Or they hang up signs asking guests to cut down on water. These are the most obvious, most easily seen, but they don’t take the time on the back end to look at their practices. And educated consumers are becoming frustrated. There’s so much more that goes into really being sustainable, to being green,” she says.

“This is why what we’re doing at EcoRooms & EcoSuites is important. There needs to be a standard for which consumers and individuals can look at to determine what green is. And as part of the Board, I’m excited to have my say about what the standards need to be.”

Increased Regulation
Even if hotels do not implement green policies of their own accord, some might be pushed into it soon through pressure from government regulators.

In the latest news on this front, Florida Governor Charlie Crist recently signed an executive order initiating new state energy-use policies, including one that requires state agencies and departments to hold meetings and conferences only at hotels with Green Lodging certification starting Jan. 1, 2008.

Hotels that do not want to miss out on the opportunity to host these conferences will have to attain Green Lodging Certification from Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection. And with the move, Florida joins at least eight other states (California, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin) that have some form of green-hotel certification.

Florida’s certification involves environmental practices in areas of communication, water conservation, energy efficiency, waste reduction and clean air. Some basic standards include offering towel and linen reuse, using low-flow showerheads and toilets, using Energy Star-rated appliances and lighting, offering staff and guest recycling, purchasing bulk items, recycling ink and toner cartridges and using environmentally friendly cleaners.

“I think the potential to help save our natural resources is huge,” said Karen Moore, who coordinates Florida’s Green Lodging program. “This has a direct impact on Florida’s tourism industry, which is our biggest industry and has a tremendous environmental impact.”

As the green movement takes off, we can expect more states, and more hotels, to follow.

“The green policies that we have put in place will be a standard soon, probably within 5 to 10 years,” says Muhle. “What we consider cutting edge now, everyone will be doing. We’ve already seen this in Europe. We’re still just a little behind.”

“There’s a lot of claims out there about what is green. With what we’re doing at EcoRooms & EcoSuites, there will be standards in place that consumers can trust, that they’ll know where they can turn to differentiate true green from greenwashing,” he adds.

Eco-Criteria
Criteria to be an EcoRoom or EcoSuite:

1. Cleaning Products – General Purpose, Bathroom, Glass and Carpet Cleaning
A. Must be Less than 10% VOC’s by weight.
B. Must Be Diluted at least 8 to 1.
C. The Undiluted product shall not be toxic to Humans.
D. The Undiluted product shall not contain carcinogens or any ingredients that are known to cause reproductive toxicity.
E. The Undiluted product shall not be corrosive to the skin or eyes
F. The Undiluted product shall not be a skin sensitizer
G. The Undiluted product shall not be combustible
H. The product as used shall not contain substances that contribute significantly to the production of photochemical smog, Tropospheric ozone, or poor indoor air quality.
The Volatile Organic Compound as used shall not exceed the following:
- - 1% by Weight for Dilutable Carpet Cleaners
- - 1% by Weight for General Purpose and Bathroom Cleaners
- - 3% by Weight for Glass Cleaners
- - 3% by Weight for Ready to Use Carpet Cleaners
I. The Product as used shall not be toxic to aquatic life
J. Each of the organic ingredients in the product as used shall exhibit ready biodegradability
K. The product as used shall not contain more than 0.5% by weight of total phosphorus
L. The product containers shall be recyclable or Manufacturers may provide for the returning and refilling of their packaging.
M. Prohibited Ingredients include the following:
Alkylphenol ethoxylates
Dibutyl Phthalate
Heavy metals including arsenic, lead, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, mercury, nickel, or selenium
Ozone-depleting compounds
Optical Brighteners
N. Training – The Product Manufacturer, its distributor, or a third party shall offer training or training materials in the proper use of the product. These shall include step-by-step instructions for the proper dilution, use, disposal, and the use of the equipment. A statement containing this information shall be provided to Each Supplier of cleaning products. They will sign the statement verifying that each of the products supplied complies with these standards.

2. Paper Products – Consumable Paper Products shall be made from recycled fibers, with the following minimum postconsumer content: Bathroom Tissue: 20%, Facial Tissue: 10%, Napkins and Paper Towels: 40%

3. Amenity Products – Property shall use refillable amenity dispensers or individual containers for shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, etc. Individual products shall be the smallest practical size for the length of stay and minimally packaged in recycled and/or recyclable materials. Used amenities are collected for donation to charity or for recycling where practical.

4. Linen and Towel Reuse Program – Property shall implement and execute a well designed Linen and Towel Re-use program for all Guest Rooms.

5. Recycling Program – Property shall establish and maintain recycling programs for the common areas, administrative areas, and Guest rooms. The Guest Room Receptacle must be clearly identified for Glass, Paper, Aluminum, & Plastic.

6. Lighting – All Guest Room Lighting shall be Energy Efficient. No incandescent lighting is acceptable in Floor, Desk, Table or Nightstand lamps. Bathroom lighting shall be either Linear Fluorescent, Compact Fluorescent or a combination of each type.

7. High Efficiency Plumbing Fixtures – Property shall use the following: 2.2 GPM Faucets with 1.5 GPM or less aerators, the showerheads shall be 2.5 GPM or less and the toilet shall be 1.6 GPF or less.

About Pineapple Hospitality
Headquartered in Saint Charles, Missouri, Pineapple Hospitality is an EPA ENERGY STAR™ partner bringing fresh ideas to hospitality guests’ doors and owner/operators’ bottom lines — including FreshStay® (www.freshstay.com), Environmentally Sensitive Amenities™, the greenSPA™ luxury amenity and dispenser system, Energy Efficient Lighting Products, EcoRoom & EcoSuite Programs, Project Planet™ Linen Re-Use Programs, Guestat™ programmable thermostats, Oxygenics™ water-efficient showerheads, the Nature’s Mist™ deodorization system, and dozens of other products and programs. For more information, please visit www.pineapplehospitality.net, or call Ray Burger at 636-922-2285.

The Orbitz eco-travel microsite is a comprehensive and evolving resource for travelers who want to find everything from eco-friendly hotels to environmental volunteer opportunities. Travelers who visit the Orbitz eco-travel microsite (http://eco.orbitz.com), will have access to the following information and tools:

Articles on eco-travel. It’s important to understand exactly what “eco-tourism” means and how it effects local environments and communities throughout the world. Read articles from the experts at Away.com and Gorp.com to expand your knowledge on this important topic.

Top eco-friendly destinations. Editors from Away.com give their top picks for destinations that are doing their part to create a sustainable environment. Learn where to go and what to expect at some amazing eco-friendly destinations around the world.

Top “green” hotels. Orbitz hotel experts give picks on lodging properties that operate with environmentally-friendly practices and products. From using wind and solar power as energy sources to purchasing only environmentally friendly products such as “green” detergents for linens and soaps, these hotels are great “green” options for the environmentally conscious traveler.

Eco Volunteer Opportunities. Orbitz is linking travelers to volunteer websites where they can find rewarding opportunities to become involved in conservation initiatives during their travels.

Eco-travel tips. Making big contributions to the environment on your own can seem overwhelming, but there are plenty of simple things any traveler can do to make a difference when you’re on the road. Whether renting a hybrid car or taking a “to-go” coffee cup with you on the road, Orbitz gives travelers suggestions for easy things they can do on any trip.

Orbitz is also partnering with CarbonFund.org which offsets travelers CO2 emissions by supporting renewable energy development, re-forestation projects and other initiatives focused on turning back the clock on global climate change. Through the Orbitz site, visitors will be linked to the CarbonFund site where they can make donations.

The green efforts go further than asking guests to use towels and bed linens more than once (as they do at home), to conserve water and avoid flushing more detergent-laden water into sewers.

Other green initiatives are more subtle - things a guest might never notice: low-flow faucets and shower heads, water-saving toilets and the use of products that don't harm the environment.

According to Starwood, when Westin's first Element Hotel opens in Lexington, Mass., next year, shampoo dispensers will eliminate multiple plastic mini-bottles; water-saving devices will conserve an estimated 4,358 gallons of water per room each year; and compact fluorescent light bulbs will cut energy use by 75 percent.

As responsible corporate entities, Starwood and other hotel companies believe they must slash waste and pollution because it makes both sound economic and public relations sense. In time, the whole industry will have to be green to be competitive.

Kimpton Hotels, a boutique group of 42 properties, launched an EarthCare program about four years ago. The mission is "to deliver a premium guest experience through nonintrusive, high quality, eco-friendly products and services." Translation: use recycled paper and soy-based inks, recycle paper and other materials in hotels, install water-saving faucets, shower heads and toilets, use energy-saving lighting. As an added green bonus, some Kimpton hotels have a free or discounted parking incentive for guests who drive hybrids.

Here's what else, unusual and usual, is happening on the green front:

Four Seasons. During its high season, the Four Seasons Jackson Hole (Wyo.) is replacing 7,000 plastic bottles of water left when beds are turned down with pitchers of local tap water.

Hilton Hotels. The Hilton New York completed the rigging of a Pure Cell 200, a state-of-the art fuel-efficient power and hot water generating system. Several years ago, Hilton switched from incandescent to compact fluorescent lighting in guest rooms, reducing the wattage used per room by 70 percent, yet making the rooms brighter.

InterContinental Group. At InterContinental Chicago, specific green practices include a motion-detection system that conserves lighting and air-conditioning energy when guest rooms aren't occupied; a towel and sheet reuse program (changes are made every three days unless a guest requests otherwise), and water-saving devices in faucets, showers and toilets. Table scraps and leftover food go to composting sites.

Marriott. With more than 2,800 lodging properties in the U.S. and abroad, Marriott said last year's eco-efforts reduced greenhouse gases by 70,000 tons, and its goal to reduce emissions by nearly a million tons between 2000 and 2010 is the equivalent of taking 140,000 cars off the road. Also, last year Marriott saved 65 percent on hotel lighting costs by replacing 450,000 bulbs with fluorescent lights.

Wyndham Hotels. Pure Room technology, which sanitizes every surface and fabric, and purifies air and water to provide maximum guest comfort, now is in place at three Wyndham properties - Lisle-Chicago, Miami Airport and Peachtree in Atlanta. Individualized climate controls also are being installed. Wyndham's other green initiatives: energy-efficient room lighting, water conservation, recycling, the use of materials with recycled content and solar heating where possible.

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Virtuoso - the industry’s leading leisure travel network – recently began the process of greening its annual Travel Mart Conference, and concurrently announced STI as its partner in sustainability. The Virtuoso network is comprised of more than 6,000 elite travel specialists associated with over 300 agencies in 22 countries, as well as more than 1,000 of the world's best travel providers and a number of premier destinations.

Virtuoso worked with STI to offset conference-related carbon emissions, which represented one of the largest travel and tourism industry events to attain 'carbon neutral' status. 'Carbon neutral' represents the point at which greenhouse gas emissions have been identified, measured, reduced where possible and 100 percent of the remaining emissions have been offset through high quality renewable energy, energy efficiency and or reforestation projects.

Specifically, through an investment in STI's carbon offset portfolios, Virtuoso offset 4,757 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions that were generated by 2,700 attendees’ domestic and international flights, hotel stays, and ground transportation, as well as conference related electricity consumption. The contribution is being invested in renewable energy projects based in North America and renewable energy and energy efficiency projects based on Africa and Asia – all of which are verified and or certified by independent third parties – and double as community development projects that contribute to local communities and environments.

STI is now working with the Virtuoso network in educating their Members and Suppliers about how to support sustainable tourism and integrate related business practices into their operations, including developing and supporting best environmental and cultural preservation practices.

STI helps Quintess, The Leading Residences of the World, go Green

Through its partnership with The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. (LHW), Quintess, Leading Residences of the World (LRW) is now supporting the company's recently launched Leading Green Initiative.

Through STI, Quintess, LRW will directly absorb the cost to offset members' energy consumption in each of the Club's 60+ properties worldwide. Through this, Quintess, LRW will contribute funds to renewable energy programs that will prevent an equal amount of carbon dioxide emissions elsewhere around the globe. In doing so, Quintess has taken a leadership position as one of the first destination clubs to proactively support responsible tourism and sustainable travel, as well as to help protect the environments their members visit.

In calculating LRW’s carbon footprint, STI looked at the total carbon emissions associated with the internal operations of each home, including:

Home electricity consumption expressed in monthly kilowatt-hours or megawatt-hours
Square footage of common areas
Total number of rooms
Average occupancy rates
Estimated total number of guests annually
This is a great start in going green. STI is looking forward to working with LHW and Quintess, LRW to help them integrate additional first best solutions to reduce climate impact.

Survey: 84% Of Travellers Will Consider Offsetting Emissions

A new global survey by Lonely Planet in their annual Travellers’ Pulse survey shows that travelers world wide are concerned about their travel impacts on the climate and will support neutralizing their travel related emissions through legitimate offset programs. The survey, which polled over 24,500 people worldwide, “showed 84 percent of respondents said they would consider offsetting their emissions in the future, where only 31 percent had done so in the past. Seventy percent of travellers said they had purposefully travelled in a low-impact way in the past, (for example, catching a bus rather than flying) and over 90 percent of people said they would or might do so in the future.” Read more here.

As an industry green leader, we find this interesting for the airline industry as well as potentially impacted destinations. As such, STI is actively supporting industry specific leaders in climate mitigation activities, such as more fuel efficient aircraft, design improvements, and aggressive customer offset initiatives. More to come on that in the near future!

But only a few hotels in the United States are certified as "green" by the U.S. Green Building Council. None of the big hotel chains, cruise lines or tour operators has published a thorough corporate responsibility report, with metrics, goals and timetable for decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

And while the "eco-travel" category is growing fast, no one can tell you with any certainty just what that means.

What's more, while the industry creates jobs and helps alleviate poverty, critics say that industry workers in the developing world are underpaid, and that most of the tourism dollars generated in poor countries leave anyway. That's because visitors tend to favor western-run hotels, western-owned rental car agencies, and western-made products like Coca-Cola over local businesses.

"The tourism industry lags way, way behind other industries when it comes to corporate social responsibility," said Patricia Barnett, director of Tourism Concern, a British advocacy group.

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'Seventy-five percent of survey respondents said it is important to them that the hotel where they stay follows 'green practices,' and those surveyed are more than willing to do their part,' said David McAleese, CEO of A Closer Look. 'In recent years, Americans have become more environmentally aware, and thus have changed their behavior and the expectations of businesses they support.'

The majority of respondents are happy to reuse towels during part of their stay and say hotels could be doing more to help the environment. Many hotels have long been offering the option of reusing towels during a guest's stay, and 69% of people interviewed said they were given the option during their most recent hotel stay. Of those who were offered the option of reusing towels, 40% reused their towels for one day, 24% reused them for two or more days and 19% reused some of the towels and requested replacement of the rest. Only 16% of respondents said they requested new towels daily.

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A complete list of hotels with the highest environmental standards appears in the November issue of the magazine that is published by American Express Publishing Corp.

Here is a list of their top 10:

* Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada

The property's water is solar-heated, the bulbs are energy-saving compact fluorescent, and the pool is treated with salt instead of chlorine.

* Sonveva Fushi Resort & Six Senses Spa, Maldives

This collection of luxury villas has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions in half by next year and achieve carbon neutrality by 2010.

* Tiamo, Bahamas

This solar-powered 11-bungalow hideaway uses less electricity a month than an average U.S. household. It also has a ban on unsustainably harvested seafood and a program to host visiting biologists.

* Whitepod, Switzerland

The geodesic domes at Whitepod's camp may be electricity-free, but they keep things cozy with plush organic bedding, sheepskin throws, and fireplaces fueled with sustainable harvested wood.

* Devil's Thumb Ranch, Colorado

With 16 airy timber cabins and a soon-to-open lodge, each heated and cooled entirely with fireplaces, only one percent of this 5,000 acre ranch has been developed, leaving the rest free for guests -- and elk, moose, bears, and beavers -- to roam.

* Chumbe Island Coral Park, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Designated 13 years ago as Tanzania's first managed marine protected area, the park is one of the region's most diverse reefs. A ranger program educates locals about marine ecology and prevents illegal fishing, while Chumbe's rooftop rainwater-collection system and solar-powered lights keep the resort in harmony with nature.

* Adrere Amellal, Egypt

As part of the Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative, the hotel helps to fund and support numerous community projects, including measures designed to encourage sustainable farming.

* Campi Ya Kanzi, Kenya

The lodge and its foundation employ 160 tribespeople and make a daily $40-per-guest donation to support new schools, scholarships and compensation payments to Masai for lost cattle.

* Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, Jamaica

The hotel relies almost exclusively on local suppliers, such as the women's group that transforms discarded paper into stationery for guests. Water is collected in rain tanks, laundry is dried in the sun, and the resort's ENOUGH program raises money and supplies for island schools.

* Tenuta Di Spannocchia, Siena, Italy

This 1,100-acre organic estate of managed forests, vegetable gardens and hiking trails is dedicated to preserving the region's cultural and agricultural legacy.

Leonardo Academy announced last week during the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Annual Greenbuild International Conference & Exposition that this event is offsetting its emissions under Leonardo Academy's Cleaner and Greener® Program which is dedicated to reducing and offsetting emissions to improve health and climate. For the sixth consecutive year, Leonardo Academy has donated its Cleaner and Greener® services to the USGBC for calculating emissions, gathering emission offsets, and certifying the level of offsets achieved. For this year's conference in Chicago, IL, the current emission offsets donated have offset 100 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions and average of 50 percent of each of the other types of emissions from based on projected Greenbuild attendance and energy use.

The Cleaner and Greener® Program certifies organizations and events for offsetting emissions from energy use. This program addresses emissions that impact both human health and climate. Michael Arny, President of Leonardo Academy, said, "Reducing and offsetting emissions that affect climate and health is a critical pert of reducing our environmental impacts and everyone can follow the U.S. Green building Council's Greenbuild example in taking action."

Projected Greenbuild energy use and emissions were prepared by Leonardo Academy. Leonardo Academy is gathering donations of emissions offsets from both companies and individual donors to offset Greenbuild emissions. Large emission reduction donors for this event are: Milliken & Company, Wind Current, and Sterling Planet. Greenbuild attendees also have the opportunity to offset their personal attendance emissions through charitable contributions toward the purchase of emission offsets. Offset Sources donated through Cleaner and Greener to offset Conference emissions:

Milliken -- Donated more than 25 million pounds of carbon dioxide sequestration credits from its forests, enough to offset 100% of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by Greenbuild 2007 (www.sustainablecarpet.com),

WindCurrent -- Donated 500,000 kWh of Green-e certified wind renewable energy credits sourced from Midwestern wind farms (www.windcurrent.com),

Sterling Planet -- Donated 200,000 kWh of Green-e certified biomass and wind-generated renewable energy credits (www.sterlingplanet.com).

Donated emission offsets will be permanently retired to offset the carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx), and mercury (Hg) emissions from the conference facilities, travel, meals, lodging, utilities, and other potential energy use connected to the conference. The pre-event estimates of the event emissions and offset achievements are posted on Leonardo Academy's Cleaner and Greener® website (www.cleanerandgreener.org). Following Greenbuild, the emissions and offset achievements will be updated to include the actual event attendance and additional donations made during the event. Starting with Greenbuild 2007 events that are Cleaner and Greener® Certified will have emissions and offsets quantified using methodology referencing the LEO 5000-2001 Draft American National Standard for Trial Use on Emission Inventories, Offsets and Emission Reductions, the EPA Climate Challenge and USGBC credit interpretations on emissions and emission offsets.

Michael Arny said, "There is an important new idea for all of us to think about in addressing climate change. This idea is that keeping carbon sequestered in existing forests is just as important for total carbon sequestered in forests as sequestering carbon in newly planted forests. The math is simple: the carbon sequestered in Preserved forests, plus Maintained working forest, plus newly planted forests = Total Carbon Sequestered!"

Expedia Go Green

Expedia’s new Go Green landing page says, “We believe that travel is the best way to bridge boundaries, broaden perspectives, and increase our understanding of the world around us – but we also know that a destination’s popularity can put it at risk.”

“Expedia is committed to creating sustainable travel initiatives that address environmental and social concerns – and that are easy to use. You can make a big difference in the places you visit with just a few small steps. Carbon offsetting and green hotels are just the beginning…”

Genuinely Green or is it All Just Greenwash?

Expedia offer tips for responsible travel and advice on how travellers can reduce their carbon footprint but their choice of green hotels is dubious, to say the least. While their statement says the criteria used for inclusion on to the green hotels list must comply with existing certification programs that best match the Global Baseline for Sustainable Tourism Criteria, most of the hotels on the list fail to offer any details of their eco credentials.

I checked out the very first option on the list, The Langham Hotel in Melbourne, which I happen to know. It is a sumptuously luxurious hotel but doesn’t have a green bone in its body, or should I say a green brick in its building; even The Langham’s own website fails to list a single green credential, so how has it attained sustainable listing? I then checked a number of other hotels on the list and while half of them are eco-friendly in some way the rest aren’t.

When I book a hotel I want to know exactly what they do environmentally-wise and would expect Expedia to pay more attention to the details if they are to be taken seriously in ecotourism circles.

Expedia do however state that “this is just the beginning.” Well, I hope so because at the minute the whole thing reeks of greenwash.

Orbitz Eco-tourism

Orbitz’s ecotourism section features hotels within America only so it’s impossible to review their system as thoroughly as I’m not as familiar with their hotels.

Their eco-friendly hotel criteria is listed prominently on the main ecotourism page so offers potential travellers more of an insight into what the ratings are based on. Not every hotel fitted all the criteria and some fitted only one which again raised suspicion; how can a hotel be classed as eco-friendly just because it uses energy-saving light bulbs? If that’s all a hotel needs to qualify then realistically nearly every hotel in the world would could be called eco-friendly.

Orbitz Eco-Friendly Hotel Criteria

* Use a natural source of energy (wind, water, solar, bio-fuel)
* Use environmentally-friendly and safe products (detergents for linens, soaps, shampoos, etc.)
* Contribute $$ from each hotel reservation to an environmental organization
* Use of energy conserving devices (ie. eco-friendly light fixtures/bulbs triggered by motion detectors, water-saving devices, water filtration systems and air filtration/purifiers)
* Earned the ENERGY STAR® – a national mark of excellence in energy efficiency and carbon performance. To qualify for the Energy Star rating buildings have to demonstrate they use nearly 40 percent less energy than average buildings and emit 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, offering a significantly smaller carbon footprint.

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